Reciprocating steam engine



Oct; 2, 1928.

. 1,686,245 H. G. MUELLER RECIPROCATING STEAM ENGINE Filed Sept. 1923 2 Sheets- Sheet i Uct. 2, 1928. 1,686,245

. H. G. MUELLER RECIPROCATING STEAM ENGINE Filed Sept.. 1923 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN e. MUELLER, or ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIcNoE TO sxINNEE ENGINE comm, or EEIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or rENNsYLv NIa RECIPROGATING STEAM ENGINE.

Application filed September 7, 1923. Serial No. 661,342.

This invention is designed to bleed reciprocating steam engines so that steam requirements may be supplied from the engine while permitting the engine .to be operated as a condensing engine if desired. This permits the steam to be used as economically as possible for power, at the same time supplying the necessary requirements for heating purposes or otherwise where less than full pres- 1 sure steam can be used.. Further features and details will appear from the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows FFig. 1 shows a section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 2 a side elevation'of the cylinder.

Fig. 3 is section on the line 33 in Fig.1.

' Fig. 4 an end elevation of the engine.

1 marks the steam engine cylinder. This is supplied with the usual inlet valves, the valves being operated with the usualyokes 2, operated from rock arms 2', the rock arms being carried by rocker-shafts and the rocker 85 shaft being actuated by cams 2. The cams are mounted on the layshaft 3 actuated through the usual valve gear (not shown). The cylinder is provided with centrally located exhaust ports 4, these. ports being con- 80' trolled by the piston 5, as shown, this piston bein elongated in the manner common in uni ow engines.

A bleeder chest 6 is arranged along one side of a cylinder, and is provided with a removable cover 6*. Bleeder ports 7, 8, 9 and 10 lead from each end of the' cylinder to the bleeder chest 6. Valve 11 has ways 7, 8

' 9 and 10 corresponding to the portsr7, 8, 9 and 10. The port 7 is longer in an axial direction than the port 8 and the port 8 correspondingly longer than port 9 and port 9 longer than the port 10 and the ways 7 8",

9 and 10 correspond in length to the ports. By reason of this arrangement, the ports 10,

9 and 8 are successively closed first, the ports 7 being finally closed with the closing movement of the valve and conversely as the valve is moved to open the ports, the valve7 is first opened to the ways 7 a and by reason of its.

greater length, this opening 1s maintained during the successive uncovering of the other ports. The valve 11 formed in this way operates on the ports at both ends of the ,the exhaust passages 25", the valve of one sure exerted through springs 14: may be adjusted by screws 16 extending through the cover against the springs 14. The pressure plate has ports throughout corresponding to the ports in the cylinder both as to length and position, so that the ways in the valve opening from the ports in the cylinder correspondingly open to the ports in the pressure plate.

The valve plate 17 is mounted on the pressure plate and is provided with feather valves 18, these feather valves covering these ports in the pressure plate. The feather valves are held yieldingly to' their seats by springs 19 mounted in the valve plate, thevalve plate having the guards 18 immediately back of the springs 19 and openings 17 'at each side of the guard 18, these parts operating in the usual manner of feather valves. These feather valves prevent a return movement of steam to the-cylinder from the bleeder chest, but permit of an outward movement of steam when the bleeder ports are open. A stem- 20 extends from afiange 21 on the valve 11 to a piston 22. The piston 22 is mounted in a control cylinder'23. Ports 24 lead from opposite ends of the control cylinder and are controlled by the valves 25. The valves operate in 'valve passages 25. Exhaust passages 25 lead from the valve passages and the valve passages open to a chamher 27 Valves 25 are mounted on a stem 26 and the valves control communication between the ports 24 and the chamber 27 and side admitting steam as the other valve exhausts and vice versa. The chamber 27 con nects with a source of fluid supply through a pipe 28. The stem 26 is connected to a lever 29, this lever being pivotally mounted at 30 on a bell crank 31. A link 32 connects the end of the lever 29 opposite the stem 26, with a lever 33. The lever 83 is pivotally mounted at 34 on a post 35. A link 36 connects the lever '33 with a diaphragm 37. The dia- 2 hragm is mounted over a diaphragm chamr 38 and this chamber connects -b pipe 39 with the bleeder chest 6 and is there ore sensitive to bleeder chest ressure. A spring 40 move the valve 11 giving a greater or lesser amount of bleeding to correspond with the movement of the diaphragm. The movement of the valve with its stem operates through the bell crank 31 to change the position of the, lever 29 and thus bring the valves to neutral position with thevalve 11 in its new position. Thus a constant back pressure or pressure on the diaphragm may be uniformly maintained and thevalve 11 moved so as to give a greater or lesser bleeding action as the steam requirements may vary or as the steam deliver to the engine may .vary. What I claim as new is 1. In a reciprocating steam engine, the

combination of a cylinder; a piston operating 1n the cylinder; sa d cyllnder having a serles of bleeder ports, those uncovered late in thepower stroke of the piston being longer in the irection of the axis of the cylinder than those uncovered earlier in the stroke of the piston; a valve controlling said ports and opening the same successively, the long ports permitting the continued opening of the first ports opened as the subsequent ports are opened. a g

2. In a reciprocating steam engine, the combination of a cylinder having bleeder orts leading therefrom; a piston operating in the cylinder over said dports; devices admitting steam to the cylin er; a valve having ways corresponding to the ports; a pressure late having ports corresponding to the cylinder ports arranged over the valve; and

check valves controlling the ports in the pres sure plate and preventing a return flow to the cylinder.

3. In a reciprocating steam engine, the combination of a cylinder having bleeder ports leading therefrom; a piston operating in the cylinder; devices admitting steam to the cylinder; a valve having Ways corresponding to the ports; a pressureplate having ports corresponding to the cylinder ports. arranged over the'valve; a valve plate ar ranged over a pressure plate and check valves in the valve plate controlling the ports in the pressure plate.

4. In a reciprocating steam engine, the combination of a cylinder having bleeder ports leading therefrom; a piston operating in the cylinder; devices admitting steam to the cylinder; 21 valve having ways corresponding to the ports; a pressure plate having ports corresponding to the cylinder ports arranged over the valve; a valve plate ar ranged over a pressure plate; and feather check valves in the'i valve plate controlling the ports in the pressure plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

HERMAN e. MUELLER.

Git 

